Xanthate is a salt or ester of xanthic acid having a chemical formula of ROCS? 2M?, thus, belonging to the group of O-esters of dithiocarbonate. This means that xanthates are the organic salts formed by treatment of alcohol with carbon disulfide in the presence of an alkali. Xanthates are yellowish and golden in color and therefore the name is derived from a Greek work, “Xanthos”. Xanthates are largely used by the mining industry as they serve the role of flotation collectors of gold, silver, lead, copper or nickel ores.